


Bare

by of_one_soul



Category: Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Confusion, F/M, I'll tag more when it's not the middle of the night, No Smut, States of Undress, no one asked for this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-28
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:20:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26154076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/of_one_soul/pseuds/of_one_soul
Summary: 5 times Anne and Gilbert accidentally find each other in various states of undress + 1 time it wasn't an accident
Relationships: Gilbert Blythe/Anne Shirley
Comments: 41
Kudos: 349





	1. one

Anne Shirley-Cuthbert happened to know a lot of things. Her mind was filled with knowledge that she gained at school, from hours spent reading books, and from her vast life experiences. Rarely did she find herself confused like she was today.

“Anne! What on earth are you doing sitting there on the floor?”

Anne looked up to see Marilla standing before her and was temporarily shaken from the trance-like state she had been in. Upon her arrival home minutes before, she had barely closed the door behind her before sliding to the ground in a fit of exasperation. 

“Oh, I’m just thinking, Marilla. Isn’t it wild how the world can be so beautiful and so cruel at the same time?”

Marilla shook her head and walked back over to tend to her rolls in the stove.

“You sound like you could use some rest, Anne. You did have quite a long night and have already been up since before dawn.”

Anne knew that logically Marilla was right. Anne had barely gotten any sleep the night before, yet her mind was so alert and frazzled she felt like she could keep going for days.

Her current state, slumped with her back against the door in the entryway of her home, coat and hat still affixed to her body, was no measure of her exhaustion. Instead it was entirely due to a certain someone she had seen during many of the past 24 hours.

_Darn you, Gilbert Blythe._

* * *

The afternoon prior, Anne had just finished clearing the afternoon tea when a quick glance out the window alerted her to a flurry of activity on the path leading to Green Gables. Gilbert was sprinting up the path, quick puffs of breath visibly warming the cold air around him. He was met midway by Jerry, Matthew hobbling closely behind through the freshly fallen snow. 

Anne’s heart started racing. This could only mean one thing: Mary Lacroix was in labor. 

“Marilla! Marilla!”

Marilla’s voice responded with a hint of uncharacteristic energy from the upper floor of their house. 

“I saw them too, Anne! Grab your coat and some extra blankets. We will worry about the dishes later!”

Outside the window, Anne saw Matthew and Jerry rushing to the barn to prepare the wagon. It took her less than a minute to grab the blankets and throw her coat over her shoulders. She ripped open the door and wham! She slammed right into the chest of Gilbert Blythe. 

“Anne! I am so so sorry!” Gilbert panted as he reached for her arms to steady her. “Mary is in labor! Are you ready?”

“I can’t wait to meet Baby Lacroix,” Anne said with a smile.

Without much thought to the matter, Gilbert slid his hand down Anne’s arm to grab her small hand in his large, gloved one before pulling her out the door into the frigid winter air.

In a matter of minutes, Matthew was steering the horses out of the gate and down the path to the Blythe-Lacroix homestead with Marilla, Anne, and Gilbert in tow. 

The two families had grown quite close in the months since Sebastian’s and Mary’s wedding. They made it a habit to share weekly dinners, dividing time between each family’s house. Matthew had become akin to a mentor for Sebastian and Gilbert when it came to farm upkeep, and Marilla and Anne had been spending a lot of time helping Mary prepare for the baby’s arrival and aiding her in keeping the house up and running in the later stages of her pregnancy. In return, Sebastian and Gilbert had helped Matthew and Jerry with some larger repair projects on the farm, and Mary had offered Anne some cooking lessons which she gladly took her up on. It came as no surprise then that the families planned for Anne and Marilla to be there to help with the birth of Baby Lacroix.

Anne’s and Gilbert’s relationship had developed as well since their truce at the wedding. Of course they still had their arguments, but each could confidently call the other a friend. They had allied themselves as study partners early on and had more recently taken to walking to school together, Gilbert meeting Anne at the gate to Green Gables every morning. This said, the current state of Anne’s right hand and Gilbert’s left hand, still clasped together, fingers intertwined, as they sat side by side in the back of the wagon was entirely new. While on any other day such a state of being would send Gilbert’s heart racing and cause a confusing blush to spread behind Anne’s freckles, both young people were entirely too preoccupied with the impending events to notice anything beyond a feeling that this was exactly where they were meant to be.

Anne and Gilbert didn’t release each other’s hands until they were in the warmth of the Blythe-Lacroix house. Marilla had noticed as they were walking up the path, but knew it wasn’t the time to say anything, and Sebastian had noticed as he greeted them at the door, but for once, his own nervous energy kept him from throwing any knowing looks in Gilbert’s direction.

* * *

Baby Girl Lacroix was born that evening at quarter past eight and given the name Delphine. Doctor Ward delivered her with the help of Gilbert while Anne and Marilla attended to Mary’s needs during her labor. Sebastian never left Mary’s side. Once the new family of three was all settled for the night, Gilbert returned Marilla and Anne to Green Gables, Anne departing with a promise to return the next morning to help out as needed.

Anne was tired enough to pass out from the busy and eventful nature of the day, yet her mind raced as she tried to fall asleep. She replayed each small moment in her mind and relived the joy that came with the healthy, perfect new baby. Mary and Sebastian had asked Anne to be Delphine’s godmother alongside Gilbert, her godfather. 

* * *

As Anne strolled up the path to the Blythe-Lacroix house the next morning at dawn, the quietness of the house stood out to her in stark contrast with the noise and energy of the previous day. She knew the occupants of the house were likely up late into the night and into the early morning hours tending to the new baby and were hopefully getting some much needed rest in this moment of peace and quiet. Anne quietly let herself in the door so she could have breakfast ready for them when they rose.

Anne was just taking the last of the toast off the stove, humming a lively tune to herself, when she finally heard stirring upstairs. She gave the table setting a quick look over, making sure the breakfast was prepared to her satisfaction when she sensed someone entering the room behind her.

“Anne,” the very recognizable voice breathed in a still sleepy whisper behind her. “Good morning.”

Anne wasn’t quite prepared for the view awaiting her when she turned around. There was Gilbert, eyes tired but open, curls mussed in all directions on the top of his head. As her gaze moved down, Anne noticed very quickly that Gilbert’s top half was only covered by his long underwear as he had yet to put on his shirt. She quickly pulled her eyes back up to meet Gilbert’s, a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks, and was greeted with a soft smile.

“G-goodmorning, Gilbert.”

“Anne, did you make all of this?” Gilbert asked as his eyes shifted to the table. 

A split second after his eyes left hers, Anne’s eyes crept back downward, no matter how hard she tried to keep them trained on his face. She could see the curves of his muscles accentuated by the tight, white fabric of his shirt. She knew that Gilbert was strong, having worked on a farm for much of his life, yet she had never seen him like this. If only she could take a few steps forward, take hold of his suspenders and….” 

“Yes!” she squeaked in a voice significantly higher than usual, her heart racing in her chest.

 _Stop, Anne! Stop it!_ She told her brain. _Gilbert is your friend. Gilbert is your FRIEND._

“Anne, are you alright?” Gilbert questioned with a hint of concern in his voice. “Are you feeling well?” 

He stepped towards her and reached up to feel her forehead with the back of his hand, but quickly pulled back as Anne flinched at his touch.

“I’m fine!” Anne squeaked again. “I better be getting back to Green Gables to help Marilla with chores. Will you make sure Bash and Mary get plates while it’s still warm?”

“Of course. Thank you, Anne,” Gilbert paused. “Are you sure you’re feeling okay? You look a little flushed.”

“I’m fine! Still fine! I must just be warm from the stove,” Anne replied with a shaky voice. “Please tell Mary that I will be back over to help later!”

Anne grabbed her coat and basket and headed to the door without another word on the subject.

“Bye, Gilbert!”

“Bye, Anne…?”

Anne was thankful for the rush of cold that hit her face as she left the warmth of the Blythe-Lacroix house. The heat that had been warming her body was more than just the heat of the stove, and Anne knew it. 

_Oh goodness, oh goodness, oh goodness._

Anne shook her head trying to physically remove the image seared into her mind of Gilbert’s state of dress and the desire that she had to pull him towards her and plant a kiss right in the middle of his lips.

_What is wrong with me?_

“Ahhhhh!” Anne yelled into the wide open, snow covered field.

_No, Anne, it’s okay. Gilbert is handsome...all of the girls think so… it’s not just you. And muscles show strength, and strength is attractive… just like the princes you have imagined up all of your life. You just happened to see Gilbert’s muscles. It would have happened if it were Moody or Jerry or... ARGH… No this was different! Why is this different? Am I attracted to Gilbert Blythe?_

Just like that Anne found herself at the steps of her home. She still had no clear answers, and she was frustrated that her whole walk home was occupied by thoughts of Gilbert.

_Gilbert’s chest, Gilbert’s arms, Gilbert’s eyes, Gilbert’s smile.... Control yourself!_

So this is why Anne found herself slumped against the door of her home. She knew she would absolutely have to pay a visit to Diana as soon as possible. Maybe she could help her figure this out. 

Little did Anne know, this was only the first time she would witness Gilbert in a state of undress and only the first time it would make her cheeks flush and her heart race. 


	2. two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Gilbert's turn to be struck dumb by our girl, Anne. Poor guy won't know what hit him ;)

The three month’s since Delphine’s birth had been a whirlwind for the Cuthbert and the Blythe-Lacroix households. Apart from the normal upkeep of the farms and preparations for planting season, adding a new baby into the mix kept both families exceedingly busy. Marilla went over to help Mary many mornings, and Anne spent most afternoons after school let out for the day helping Mary around the house or caring for Delphine. Anne and Gilbert had the added task of preparing for their upcoming Queen’s entrance exams, so many evenings were spent together, books and notes spread on the floor in front of the fire at one of their homes.

“I think you like him, Anne,” Diana had stated very bluntly when Anne had visited her during the week after  _ the incident _ , as Anne called it.

“Of course I like him, Diana… he’s my friend.”

“Oh Anne, you know that’s not what I mean. I mean like a crush.”

“How can I have romantical feelings for Gilbert Blythe, Diana? He may be my friend now, but he is still my number one rival,” Anne huffed in exasperation.

“I said a crush, Anne. YOU are the one who used the word ‘romantical’. Thus I have proved my point. You like him. Admitting it will make it easier,” said Diana with a hint of a smirk on her face.

“Ugh! Diana, how did this happen to me?” 

“He is easily the nicest, smartest, and most good looking boy in our class, Anne. And it’s clear he has a crush on you too. It all makes perfect sense to me.” 

Anne fell back onto Diana’s bed, staring silently at the ceiling.

“Anne?”

After another thirty seconds of silence, Anne replied, “FINE, Diana. I like Gilbert Blythe.”

“There you go.”

* * *

Since that fateful day that she admitted to her dear friend that she had developed feelings for Gilbert, Anne had seen him nearly every day. Maybe it was the frequency with which they saw each other that led Anne to realize that being around him didn’t need to be awkward given her newly discovered secret. In all reality, they still functioned the same as they had before.

_ Gilbert could never like me that way. _

It was this persistent thought that kept Anne mostly level-headed when she was around him. Only a few small ‘mishaps,’ as Anne called them, caused her heart to speed up to a dangerous rate. If she was really honest with herself though, it was definitely more than a few. 

Whenever their hands accidentally brushed when they walked to or from school together… THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP.

Whenever Gilbert leaned over into her space to look at her book or her notes as they studied… THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP.

Whenever she saw Gilbert holding Delphine, talking sweetly with Delphine, basically anything with Delphine… THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP.

Whenever she caught him looking at her the way he always did… THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP.

Whenever Anne thought of how Gilbert looked that one fateful morning before he was fully dressed for the day… THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP.

Half of the time Anne was glad that another incident like  _ THE incident  _ hadn’t happened again. If she saw him again, she wasn’t sure she would have the resolve to keep from taking claim of him by his suspenders and kissing him silly. Half of the time though, she wished it would.

Little did Anne know, Gilbert wasn’t faring much better himself. His attraction to Anne wasn’t a new discovery though like it was for Anne. His had been growing steadily in the years since he had first met her. In the past months though it was becoming harder and harder for Gilbert to keep his want for Anne neatly wrapped up in his mind and heart. This was due to a lot of reasons. Gilbert had the privilege of seeing Anne most days lately which definitely didn’t help. Of course, there was also Bash, who made sure that when Anne wasn’t around, that he was still thinking of her… not that Gilbert needed much help with that anyways. Every time she spoke, he wanted to just listen to her forever. Every time she smiled at him, he wanted to take her face in his hands and kiss her. Every time she laughed, he wanted to take her into his arms and spin her around, never letting her go. He could finally admit it now, to himself at least, that he was completely gone for her. 

It also didn’t help Gilbert that they were reaching the age where starting courtships wasn’t unheard of. He would ask Anne to court him in a heartbeat, but he also didn’t want to scare her away. For now he tried to be content with the current state of things between them. Of course, that didn’t stop him from purposefully brushing her hand as they walked or finding excuses to lean in close while they studied. At times Gilbert thought he could almost see a slight blush creeping across Anne’s cheeks when he made these small moves, and it gave him a glimmer of hope that there might be something more there for her too. He found it a barely tolerable task to keep himself from kissing her for now, but it was tolerable nonetheless. Little did he know how much harder it was about to become.

* * *

Knock knock knock.

“Gilbert!” 

Knock knock knock.

“Gilbert, please open up, I need your help!”

Gilbert shot up in his bed at the sound of banging on the door of his home. He had just drifted off to sleep, so he was jolted into an alert state very quickly. 

“Gilbert! Mary! Sebastian! Please someone wake up!”

“Anne...? Anne!”

Gilbert jumped from his bed as his brain registered who was calling for him. His heart raced as the sound of panic in her voice seeped into his veins. He bolted out of his room, down the stairs, and towards the front door, passing a concerned Sebastian along the way. He threw open the door to find a very frightened and frazzled Anne standing in front of him. His concern for her overshadowed his realization that she was standing before him in only her night gown..

“Anne, what is wrong?” 

“It’s Belle, she is foaling, but something is wrong! Matthew is with her now, but I thought you might be able to help!”

“Of course. I’ll do whatever I can.”

“Thank you, Gil,” Anne sighed with relief.

Gilbert tucked that one away in his mind to unpack later. Anne had never called him that before, and he found that he rather liked it. 

_ Focus, Gilbert. Help her. _

“Anne, how did you get here?”

“I ran, silly.”

_ This girl is a wonder... Gilbert, you need to focus. _

“Okay, let’s take my horse. I’ll need to grab a few things first, and we won’t have time to hook up the wagon.” 

Gilbert gulped as his mind caught up with his mouth, realizing what this implied. 

“Anne, are you okay riding with me?”

“You really are a silly boy. Of course! We just need to get there quickly!”

Gilbert ran inside to grab his meager medical bag and, with a quick explanation and goodbye to Sebastian, he grabbed Anne’s hand as they sprinted to the stable. 

As Gilbert quickly made work of saddling his horse he asked, “Do you have any idea what is wrong with Belle?”

“Matthew thinks her foal is breech, and I just remembered you telling me about that one time in Trinidad… Oh Gilbert, thank you so much for being willing to help.”

“Of course, Anne. I would do anything for you and your family.”

Gilbert’s heart nearly stuttered to a stop as he caught a glimpse of a definite blush spreading from Anne’s cheeks and down her neck to her collarbone.

_ Her collarbone. _

He wouldn’t have been able to see the extent of her blush had she been wearing one of her regular dresses. It was then that he remembered that she was only wearing her nightgown. Gilbert’s face flushed as well, and he turned away from Anne, hoping she didn’t see it. He was definitely not in the right mind to explain that one right now. 

Gilbert mounted his horse before reaching down to pull Anne up to sit behind him. She quickly snaked her arms around his sides to take a firm hold around his middle. 

“Gil, is this okay?” she asked in a near whisper into his ear.

Anne’s breath brushed gently across his ear causing immediate goosebumps to stake their claim on his neck. Gilbert felt his throat dry up and he could only manage a nod. Anne tightened her grip around his belly, and they headed off, the horse galloping the familiar path to Green Gables.

While it was just a short trip by horse, Gilbert did his best to savor every moment of the ride. The feeling of Anne’s warm body behind him, pressed firmly against his back was an experience he only encountered in the best of his dreams. Gilbert was thankful that, though the night air was cool, he was in such a hurry that he didn’t grab a sweater for the ride. All that separated him from Anne was his sleep shirt and her nightgown. He knew he was probably just imagining it but he could almost feel her heartbeat matching pace with his own.

Gilbert felt Anne’s knees shudder against his sides as he felt a shiver run through her body. 

_ Is she cold? Is she nervous? _

After another shiver ran through Anne’s body, holding the reins in one hand, Gilbert reached down to place a firm pressure on Anne’s thigh, right above her knee. For Gilbert, this show of comfort was almost involuntary. Realizing where his hand was resting, Gilbert panicked for a moment.

_ This isn’t proper. _

“Thank you,” Anne whispered in his ear.

Gilbert couldn’t help but smile. His action was what she needed.

_ Propriety by damned.  _

Unfortunately, their ride was over much sooner than either of them cared to admit. 

Gilbert dismounted the horse and, turning back towards Anne, asked with a small smile, “Can I help you milady?”

“Yes thank you, kind sir,” Anne replied with a nervous giggle.

Gilbert carefully grabbed her by the waist and gently lifted her to the ground. His stomach flipped as he realized how intimate this was, her body mere inches from his and her eyes gazing up towards his, glowing in the moonlight. Had they not been in a hurry, he would have been tempted to place his hand gently on her cheek and ask if she would allow him the honor of kissing her…

_ FOCUS, GILBERT _

Gilbert quickly grabbed his bag, shaking himself out of his daze, and followed Anne into the barn.

“Gilbert, thank you for coming,” Matthew said with exhaustion evident in his voice.

“How can I help?”

* * *

A few hours later, Gilbert found himself with Anne and the Cuthberts sitting around their dining table, each with a cup of tea in hand. They had been successful in turning the foal, and Belle had delivered a healthy baby. The adrenaline of the night was quickly fading, and Gilbert realized he needed to be getting home before Sebastian and Mary got worried.

“Thank you again for the tea, Marilla, but I must be heading home now.”

“Oh, don’t be silly, Gilbert. You can sleep in our spare room tonight. I’m sure Sebastian and Mary will understand come morning. And you have done so much for us that I can’t imagine just sending you out into the night at this hour.”

Gilbert snuck a quick glance in Anne’s direction to see how she was reacting to this idea before he responded. He was struck by the beauty that shined towards him from her eyes that seemed both sleepy and alive at the same time. Taking his cue from her warm smile he agreed to this plan.

A half hour later, Gilbert found himself hand in hand with Anne again as she led him to the spare room. She turned to face him before turning towards her own gable room. 

“Thank you so much for helping tonight, Gil. I appreciate all that you did sincerely, from the bottom of my heart.”

Feeling cheeky, he responded, “So it’s ‘Gil’ now, eh?”

“It suits you. It’s who you have become to me.”

Before he realized what was happening, Anne was standing up on her tiptoes, her soft lips pecking a quick kiss to his cheek.

“Goodnight, Gil.”

And just like that, she was down the hall, nightgown swaying with each stride, and closing her door behind her.

“Goodnight, Anne,” Gilbert whispered reverently to the empty hallway. Gently pressing his fingers to the place where her lips met his skin, he sighed as the events of the night all flooded together in one beautiful mess. 

_ I think I love you, Anne. _


	3. three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shirtless Gilbert, blushing Anne...that is all.

A month had passed since Gilbert had admitted to himself that he had feelings for Anne. A month had passed since he had felt her lips grace his cheek. A whole month had passed and Gilbert still had not worked up the courage to do anything at all about his newfound discovery.

To say that Gilbert was frustrated with himself would have been an understatement. He had daily opportunities alone with Anne in which he could have admitted his growing feelings for her, but for a reason that escaped his knowledge, he had yet to say anything at all. 

Maybe it was a fear of rejection. Anne had kissed him, but had it just been a kiss of gratitude? Or was there something else there? Gilbert could pick out instances in their time together that could possibly be a sign that she had feelings for him too, but he always ended up second guessing himself. 

_ She just considers me a close friend, a kindred spirit. _

If he confessed his feelings, would he push her away forever and lose the tight bond they had formed over the past months as friends? Gilbert decided he couldn’t risk it, especially with their families being so close. While he loved that they were bound together by more than friendship in this way, the thought that he would need to continue to see her even after she rejected him was unbearable.

_ But what if she wouldn’t reject me?  _

Gilbert let out a guttural grunt of frustration as he brought the ax down on the wood he was chopping. Realizing he had made an audible sound, he spun around, hoping no one was in earshot of him. Of course, fate was working against his luck today.

“What did that wood do to you, Blythe?” Sebastian said with amusement.

“Bash, how long have you been there? Were you watching me?” Gilbert scoffed with a hint of disgust, wiping sweat from his brow.

“I was walking back from the barn and heard you talking to yourself… and once I heard Anne’s name I knew I had to stop.”

“I said that out loud?”

A mischievous grin spread across Sebastian’s face. Dancing around he shouted, “Ha! I knew it! You were thinking about her!”

“I hate you sometimes,” Gilbert groaned.

Sebastian just laughed. 

“So what did our Anne with an E do to get you into such a tizzy this time? You’re out here chopping wood on this blistering day like you want to send someone to an early grave. We already have plenty of wood for the stove, so I can’t see why in the world you would be out here unless you need to work something out in that big brain of yours.” 

Gilbert had kept his feelings for Anne pent up inside him for so long that revealing them to his brother  _ almost  _ seemed desirable. Maybe it would be worth the teasing and “I told you sos” to finally have an outlet for his feelings. Sensing Gilbert’s hesitation, Sebastian continued.

“You know I already know you like her, right?”

Gilbert sighed as he decided to go for it. 

“You’re wrong though, Bash. I love her.”

Gilbert fully expected Sebastian to break into a victory dance, a celebration that he was right all along. To his surprise, however, Sebastian just stood there, mouth agape. 

“So you really are gone for her,” he finally said after what, to Gilbert, felt like minutes of silence.

“Gone to the point where there’s no coming back,” Gilbert sighed.

A smile crept onto Sebastian’s face, and Gilbert could almost feel the energy radiating off of him.

_ Here it comes. _

“Ha! You love her! I knew it!” Sebastian exclaimed as his feet started to move and his hips started to sway. 

“I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!”

Gilbert couldn’t help but laugh at his brother’s antics, his mood momentarily lightening.  After a few minutes of dancing, Sebastian’s movements slowed and his face tensed in thought.

“Wait. If you know you love her, why are you out here angrily chopping wood? Why aren’t you running to declare yourself to her as we speak?”

“I don’t think she has feelings for me in the same way, Bash,” Gilbert paused, his voice falling. “I don’t want to ruin what we have.”

“Brother,” Sebastian paused, considering his words, “Do you really want to risk potentially missing out on what could be your future just to stay in the present?” 

After Gilbert didn’t answer right away, Sebastian continued, “I think there’s more real hope here to be had than what you’re allowing yourself, Blythe. I’ve seen the way our Anne looks at you. You’re not the only one poorly hiding that dreamy look behind your eyes.”

Gilbert felt his cheeks, already hot from the noon sun, turning a deeper shade at Sebastian’s acknowledgment of the way he looked at Anne.. His heart beat faster, and his mind whirred at what Sebastian just said.

_Hope?_ _Maybe that kiss did mean something more._

“You think she has feelings for me too?” Gilbert said in a near whisper.

“I can’t say I know for sure, but I do know that it is easier to see things from the outside sometimes. The only way you will truly know though is to ask her.”

_ Ask her. I’m going to ask her. _

“Thanks, Bash,” Gilbert paused before continuing with assuredness in his voice. “I think I’ll head inside to clean up and head over to Green Gables to ask her on a walk.”

Gilbert grabbed the sweat-soaked shirt that he had discarded on the fence earlier and turned towards the house, missing the knowing smirk that spread across Sebastian’s face. Realizing just how much of a mess he was, sweat glistening over his body from head to toe and chips of wood in his mussed up hair, Gilbert knew he would need to take a bath before going to see Anne. That would give him enough time to think through exactly what he would say.

As he opened the door and stepped through, Gilbert stopped dead in his tracks. There was Anne, staring straight at him. 

* * *

Anne had been thoroughly enjoying her cooking lessons every Saturday with Mary. It was more than the new skills and recipes she was learning, it was the easy camaraderie that she and Mary had that made it one of her most anticipated times of the week.  Today was no exception. The ladies chatted away about this and that as they mixed and kneaded the dough for one of Mary’s favorite breads. 

Mary quickly noticed that Anne was a little more distracted than normal, however, as she kept pausing mid-thought as she repeatedly glanced out the window towards the orchard. A quick peek out the window confirmed what Mary already expected. There was Gilbert, shirt off in the heat of the sun, chopping wood. Mary couldn’t help but smile to herself as she shook her head at the young man and woman before her, blind to the affections of the other.

Anne was far too distracted to notice Mary shaking her head right beside her. In the months since “the incident” that had started Anne’s heart and mind aflurry as she wrestled with her feelings about Gilbert. It had become abundantly clear to her that it wasn’t just an attraction to him that had crept up on her. She had deeper feelings for him that bordered on the precipice of love. In a moment of bravery, Anne had kissed him on the cheek after he had helped Belle with her foal, but ever since, she had become too flustered to mention it again every time she tried to talk about it with him in the month since.

It was to Anne’s chagrin that she now found herself in the position she was in. She wanted to be able to focus one hundred percent of her attention on Mary and their conversation, but there was no chance of that with Gilbert in direct view, shirtless and chopping wood, all of the muscles of his back tensing with each move of the ax. The beads of sweat that covered his body almost made him shimmer in the rays of the sun. She admired him from a distance as if he was an untouchable work of art, a being captured in full detail by a sculptor. She wondered what his muscles would feel like under her bare hands. She…

“Anne? Are you in there?”

“I...uh...Gilbert...argh!”

Anne turned beet red, realizing what she had said.

“Want to tell me about it, dear one?”

Mary’s warm invitation was like a key, opening the floodgates of Anne’s mind and heart.

“Oh, Mary... I just don’t know what to do! I can’t stop thinking about him no matter what I try. He is always on my mind...like a parasite, digging his way deeper into my very soul...but a good parasite that I don’t want to get rid of! He’s so kind, and so smart. He’s my equal in many ways. And don’t even get me started on his looks! He’s more attractive than any of the princes or knights that I could ever conjure up in my mind. And there’s the way he looks at me too! Does he do it on purpose? Does he know what it does to me? I could just melt on the spot. I like him so much, Mary! I never thought I could like anyone in this way, and now here I am in this complete mess. I think I might actually love him for goodness sake! Oh, how I wish I knew what was going on in his mind! One moment I think he might have feelings for me, and the next I just don’t know anymore. I kissed him on the cheek a month ago...a whole MONTH! And he has said absolutely nothing about it. Why can’t he just say, ‘not a chance, Anne,’ and put me out of my misery? Why are boys so difficult? UGH! All I wanted to do today is clear my mind and think about something, ANYTHING, else. But all I can do is stare at him and his unfairly beautiful body through this perfectly positioned window and think about how all I want to do right now is run out there and crash my lips into his!” 

Anne and Mary both turned suddenly at the sound of the click as the door swung open.

“G...Gil...Gilbert.”

* * *

“Anne,” Gilbert breathed.

Her face and dress showed traces of flour, and pieces of her fiery hair fell from the messy braid that hung down her back. A hint of a blush lit her heat reddened cheeks. He barely registered Sebastian coming in the door behind him, chuckling quietly as he crossed the room to kiss Mary on her cheek. 

“Mmmmm. Whatever you ladies are baking smells divine. Anne, it’s so nice to have you over here EVERY Saturday to cook with Mary.” 

With his emphasis, Sebastian looked pointedly at Gilbert who was far too distracted by the red-head in front of him to notice. In fact, both Anne and Gilbert stood there gaping at each other as if nothing else existed around them.

“Bash, I almost forgot...I need your help finding something in the other room. Will you help me?” Mary said with a wink in his direction.

“Yes! Definitely yes!” Sebastian said with exaggerated eagerness. Crossing the room to Gilbert, he whispered in his ear, “You really should have your shirt on in the presence of a lady, Blythe.”

This shook Gilbert out of his stupor and back to the reality of his situation. He was there, in his kitchen, standing before the girl he loves but has yet to confess to, covered in sweat and completely without a shirt.

“Ah, right,” he muttered under his breath, pulling his shirt back over his arms and haphazardly buttoning a few of the buttons into the wrong holes. 

By the time he looked back up Sebastian and Mary were nowhere to be seen, and only Anne stood in front of him.

Looking down at her feet, Anne nervously asked, “Did you hear anything I said to Mary?”

“No,” Gilbert said quietly. 

_ I wish I had heard what you said. _

“Is everything alright?” he asked, taking a few steps towards her.

Relieved that he hadn’t overheard her confession to Mary, Anne contemplated her reply. 

“Maybe?” she said with an anxious laugh, gaining the courage to look him in the eye once again. 

Something about her laughter relieved some of the tension that stood between them. Looking up, Anne noticed the wood chips that still sat tangled in Gilbert’s hair. 

“Oh, Gil, you’re a mess,” she said. Without thinking, she closed the space between them and reached up to brush the last signs of his wood-destroying rampage from his curls. Her face flushed as she realized what she was doing, but she didn’t back down or draw her hands back until she was satisfied that his hair was free of debris.

All the while, Gilbert stood entranced by her face that was just mere inches from his. Her noticeable blush made his heart speed up as he admired how it tinted her features a delicate pink. 

“You don’t look much better yourself,” he teased once she had finished. 

Reaching up, he swiped his thumb across her cheek to brush off a smudge of flour that she had acquired while baking. Her eyes fluttered shut at his touch and her lips turned up in a minute but noticeable smile. Her reaction gave him the courage to let his hand linger there at the side of her face, holding her cheek gently in his hand. Drawing his fingers down her jawbone to her chin, he gently turned her cheek and planted a soft kiss where the flour had been moments before.  Her eyes slowly blinked open as her smile spread across her face, matching the grin on Gilbert’s.

“Anne, I think we need to talk. Will you walk with me later?”

“I’d very much like that,” she whispered for only his ears to hear. “Maybe you should clean up first though,” she said with a laugh. 

“I suppose so.” 

Reaching up to the incorrectly buttoned top button of his shirt, she gingerly undid it with her nimble fingers. She slowly worked her way down his shirt with much concentration, undoing each button and rebuttoning it in the correct hole. All Gilbert could do was look on with awe at the girl in front of him. Her lack of negative responses and abundance of positive responses to all that had just transpired between them had his heart nearly beating out of his chest with hope that she might love him too. Once she reached the bottom button, she briefly laid her hand above his heart, her eyes meeting his once more.

“That’s better for now.”

“Thank you,” he spoke as gently as a breath. With a smirk, he continued, “you do realize though that I am just going to have to take this off again to clean up before that walk, right?”

“Oh go, you!” she said as she playfully swatted him away.

Gilbert backed up towards the hallway, his eyes never leaving hers until he was out of sight. 

Once he was gone, Anne let out a deep sigh. Something new was beginning and she found it so exciting. Anne found herself alone in the kitchen, Mary having disappeared with Sebastian a while ago. Moving to check on the bread that was baking, she glanced out the window to the wood pile and couldn’t help but smile. 


	4. four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluff fluff fluffity fluff fluff fluff
> 
> And some more shirtless boys
> 
> That's basically it.

Only a few weeks had passed since the day that oddly seemed to change both everything and nothing at all for Anne and Gilbert. The pair couldn’t help but cast frequent glances towards each other as they walked with their recently graduated classmates on the graveled path towards the beach, arms full of blankets and picnic baskets. The girls had planned the trip as a celebration of receiving their exam results and the boys took little convincing to get them to join the festivities.

To their classmates, they didn’t seem any different than before. The fact that their eyes were often seeking the other had become fairly normal for the two of them ever since Gilbert had returned to Avonlea, so their classmates had no suspicions that anything was different. They were just Anne and Gilbert. 

While they appeared outwardly unchanged, inwardly they were both brimming with a mix of emotions fueled by the ways their relationship had metamorphosed. They were still Anne and Gilbert: friends and neighbors, but had become Anne and Gilbert: joint top scorers on the Queen's Entrance Exam and, most excitedly, Anne and Gilbert: Avonlea’s newest courting couple. Of course, none of their classmates knew this yet.

Gilbert constantly had to check himself to keep from shouting from the rooftops that he was finally Anne Shirley-Cuthbert’s beau, and Anne had to resist kissing him every time she laid eyes on him. They had shared their happy news with Matthew and Marilla and Sebastian and Mary, and of course Anne had told Diana, but they had decided to keep their relationship under wraps for some time to allow themselves some time to enjoy each other without any external pressures or judgements.

Naturally this decision made this trip with their classmates exceedingly difficult as they were to spend the whole day together, but not together as they would want to be. Their plan was that, if they were asked about it, they would answer honestly. Otherwise, they would try to go on as if nothing was different.

Gilbert glanced over at Anne for the hundredth time as she chatted away animatedly with Ruby and Diana. Everyone around him seemed to be occupied in a conversation, so he let his gaze linger on the girl who kept the key to his heart. He occupied his mind reminiscing about the fateful day that finally brought things between them out in the open. 

* * *

“Anne, I need to be fully honest with you,” Gilbert had paused, gulping down what remained of his inhibitions as he and Anne sat facing each other on the cliff overlooking the ocean. “I need you to listen to everything I have to say before you respond. Can you do that for me?” 

Anne nodded solemnly, her eyes meeting his fearlessly.

Gilbert took a deep breath and began. “Anne...I love you… more than just as a friend, and differently than I do my family. I have known this for some time now, and I’m sorry I wasn’t brave enough before to tell you, but I need you to know now. I completely understand if your feelings don’t match mine, but I truly hope that they do.”

Gilbert could nearly feel his heart pounding out of his chest as he observed Anne, waiting for her reaction. Anne stared at him with wide, blue eyes that he could easily get lost in if he allowed himself to. Her mouth hung slightly open, and Gilbert could almost make out a twitch of a smile at the corners of her lips. Drawing his eyes back up to hers, he thought he could see a hint of a tear forming in each eye. 

“You...Gil, you...you love me?” Anne said in a whisper, disbelief evident in her voice. 

In an attempt to make it wholly clear how he felt about her, Gilbert took both of her hands in his and, without breaking eye contact, brought them to meet his lips in a reverent kiss. 

“Anne, I love you even more than I ever knew was possible. If you’d allow me to show you that, I think I would be the luckiest man alive.” 

As he spoke, the small smile on Anne’s face grew into a fully fledged grin, yet she for once was rendered momentarily speechless. Gilbert’s hopes leapt with her smile.

Cautiously he continued, “Anne, is there any chance that you have feelings for me too?”

Anne’s slow nod preceded her words. Her hand coming up to gently rest on his cheek, she said, “I love you too, Gilbert.” After a pause she continued, “This is a newer realization for me, but I know for a fact that it is completely true.”

Gilbert’s cheeks hurt from how wide his smile had grown. Anne couldn’t help but match it.

Suddenly, breaking the moment of silence between them, Anne burst out in a fit of giggles.

Slightly concerned, Gilbert asked, “Anne, what is it?”

Still giggling, Anne replied, “I love you… and you love me. I still can’t believe it!”

Exhaling a sigh of relief, Gilbert joined in her laughter. 

“I can’t believe it either, Anne. I kept making up reasons in my mind of why you would never reciprocate the feelings that I have for you, but I am so grateful and happy that I was completely wrong in those thoughts.”

“Oh, Gilbert Blythe, admits he was wrong!” Anne teased. “This is a moment for the history books!”

“It’s a moment for our history book at least,” Gilbert added solemnly.

It took all of Anne’s willpower not to leap across the small space between them and kiss him senseless in the grass below them. 

_Not yet, Anne._

As much as she wanted to kiss him, this was all so new and wonderful that she wanted to soak in the moment that they were having and save that moment for another time. Little did Anne know, Gilbert was having the same internal battle across from her.

Gilbert sidled up to Anne and wrapped his arm gently around her so they were facing the ocean together. She gingerly laid her head on his shoulder, breathing in the cool breeze that blew off the ocean. The beautiful reds, oranges, and purples of the sunset gave a sense of magic to this moment they unexpectedly found themselves in. They slipped into a comfortable silence as they soaked in this new reality.

The walk back to Green Gables was filled with quiet whisperings between the pair as they sauntered hand in hand. If the night animals were listening, they would have heard talk of courtship, albeit likely a long distance one, since Gilbert planned to study in Toronto and Anne in Charlottesville if their scores allowed it. They would have heard talk of hopes of a future that they might share together. “Life partners,” as Anne called it. Gilbert felt no inclination to argue with that term, but soaked in the warmth of all that implied.

* * *

Gilbert snapped back to the present as he heard his friends shouting and shrieking joyfully around him. He saw them pulling off their shoes and stockings and running towards the water, kicking up sand behind them. Looking ahead of him, he did not see Anne among them, making their way to the vast ocean. He felt a small hand slide quietly into his, and as he looked to his side, he couldn’t help but smile seeing Anne smiling up at him. She gave his hand a quick squeeze, before taking off towards the water with the others. The power she had over him was evident from his reaction to this small gesture. One quick touch sent his heart racing and left him desiring more. Removing his own shoes and stockings and rolling his pant legs, Gilbert ran after her. 

After a short time spent splashing around the shallows, the girls retreated to the sand to set up their blankets and picnic baskets, preferring chatting and soaking in the warmth of the sun to the chill of the brisk ocean water. Meanwhile, the boys had left the water to spend some time climbing the rocks near the bottom of the cliffs. Deep in conversation, the girls paid little attention to the boys. Anne had purposefully situated herself with her back to them so she wouldn’t need to work so hard to keep her eyes off of Gilbert or risk being caught gazing at him by one of her friends. 

In the middle of something Josie was saying about the boys she hoped to meet at Queens, Tillie, mouth hanging open, interrupted with a loud , “Oh my!” Anne heard the quick patter of footsteps approaching behind her, but she barely had time to turn around to see what was happening before the boys sprinted past the girls, heading back into the water without a shirt to be seen. 

Before she could fully register what was going on, Anne’s eyes quickly tracked past the other young men to the defined muscles of Gilbert’s back and she felt her face immediately flush with heat. It’s not like she hadn’t seen him with his shirt off before, but there was something different about it now, knowing that he loved her. It was almost as if a barrier had come down and she was allowed to look…. and look she did. 

Anne had always found herself in awe with the human body and how it was put together in such a divinely gorgeous way. The beauty of how all the parts worked together in unison to make a person alive had a romance to it. Along with the other girls, she had been noticing the beauty of the male form more and more as she matured, but she had always felt it shameful to look long enough to truly admire it. 

_I am his, and he is mine._

The phrase kept playing over and over in her head. She and Gilbert had declared their love and intentions to each other. It was common knowledge between the pair that they desired a future that had the other in it. Just the mere thought that she might marry him someday caused her heart to race and a laugh of joy to bubble up from deep within her. The girls were all too distracted by the circus-like event going on in the water before them to notice the ridiculous smile plastered across Anne’s face. 

From a distance, Anne allowed herself to take in every inch of Gilbert’s visible skin. She observed the clear strength of his muscles and how they flexed everytime he moved. She loved him for his brain, but his years of working the farm definitely didn’t go unnoticed. His arms, his back, his chest, his stomach - all were sculpted and defined. She blushed, wishing they were alone and wishing it wouldn’t be improper for her to run her hands across them, learning him by touch and not just by sight.

His skin was sunkissed, noticeably darker than some of the boys around him. His woodchopping must not be the only time he works without his shirt she thought. She could almost make out a slight shadow of hair growing on his chest - a clear sign that he was becoming more a man and leaving his boyish body behind. Her eyes trailed back up to his face, chiseled perfectly in her opinion and topped with the most luscious head of untamable curls to make him the most handsome man she knew. Of course, she valued what was beyond his skin far more than what was visible. His intelligent mind, his beautiful heart, and his resilient spirit were what she loved, but no part of him was beyond her realm of admiration. 

At that moment, Gilbert looked up from his splash attack on Charlie and met Anne’s eye. His smile matched hers and, it may have just been her imagination, but she thought she caught a quick wink in her direction. Charlie took advantage of Gilbert’s moment of distraction and tackled him into the water. 

While Anne had grown more used to his shirtless figure, she was not prepared for what she saw as he came back out of the water. The water glistened off his skin in the sunshine, making him almost appear as if he himself was emitting light. Drops of water followed the valleys between his muscles as they made their way back towards their home in the ocean. His pants, now soaked with water, clung to his legs revealing his form in a way she had never seen. Anne felt her mouth drop open as she took in this new view of Gilbert. 

_Wow_

Anne suddenly became uncomfortable as she came back to her senses. Snapping her eyes away from Gilbert she focused in her immediate vicinity where all of the girls had turned to look at her with curious and somewhat shocked looks on their faces. 

“Oh no,” Anne squeaked. “I said that out loud, didn’t I?”

“You sure did!” Tillie squealed with a voice an octave higher than her normal voice. 

“Anne… do you have feelings for Gilbert?” Ruby asked in a voice filled with great delight. 

“Look at her face! She does!” Jane shouted, nearly leaping to her feet.

Without giving Anne any chance to respond, Josie added, “Does he know?”

Diana, who had been trying her hardest to keep a straight face through all of this burst out laughing. All eyes turned to her.

“I’m sorry, Anne. I couldn’t help it!” she gasped between giggles.

“What do you know, Diana?” Tillie demanded.

Diana froze, not wanting to betray her friend any further.

_I am his, and he is mine._

“We’re courting!” Anne squeaked. 

Without a pause, the girls shrieked in near unison, “You’re WHAT?”

So focused amongst themselves and on this new and exciting tidbit of information, the girls didn’t notice the boys approaching the blankets until Gilbert’s confident voice broke them from their stupor. 

“We’re courting,” he paused as he made eye contact with Anne, “and I love her.”

Gasps and murmurs flitted amongst the young men and women as they shifted their gazes between the pair. 

Not willing to break eye contact with him, Anne added, “And I love him.”

Anne and Gilbert spent the next hour sharing their story with their friends, basking in the joy that came from the realization that their friends were nothing but happy for them apart from a little jealousy here or there. The enjoyment of the remainder of the day at the beach grew tenfold for the new couple as they didn’t have to hide their affection for each other anymore. In fact, they barely broke contact with each other the entire afternoon. 

As the day began to draw to an end, small groups of the friends packed up their things and started the long walk back to their houses to get back for evening chores. Both Anne and Gilbert were given the evening off by their respective families as a gift in celebration for their successes on the exams, so after not too long, they were the only two that remained on the wide expanse of sand. Gilbert got up from the spot where he had been laying with his head resting on Anne’s stomach and offered her a hand up. Leading her gently by the hand to the water’s edge, he looked out at the vast ocean that had once taken him away from this place he called home. 

Almost as if she had read his mind, Anne stated, “I’m glad you came back, Gil. Sometimes I imagine how life would be different if you had stayed at sea or settled in some faraway place. I hate it when my mind goes there.”

“Anne, I don’t know if you were trying to or not back then, but it was you who called me home.”

“Well I did tell you there might be gold on your land,” Anne said with a laugh.

Turning to face her, Gilbert replied “It wasn’t that though, Anne. I need you to understand that.”

He took her other hand in his and turned her to face him head on. Gently, he moved his hand up to cup her cheek, caressing her sun-kissed skin gently with his thumb.

“Even back then, Anne, I knew there was something special about you. Something I needed. I could hardly even begin to imagine my life without you in it in some way.”

Gilbert paused as his eyes grew misty. 

“Knowing now that your feelings match mine makes that time that I ran away from here seem like such a distant and hazy memory. Anne, I know that we will likely be apart for the next years of our education, but I need you to believe me that I will always come back to you.”

“I know that, Gilbert.” Smiling up at him she added, “You can’t get rid of me that easily now that I have you.”

The pair stood there for what felt like ages, soaking in the warmth of the love that each emitted for the other. 

Breaking the silence, Gilbert shyly asked, “Anne?”

“Yes?”

“Would it be okay with you if I kissed you?”

Anne nodded, a smile spreading ear to ear.

So wrapping his arm around her waist, his other hand still on her cheek, he did.


	5. five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am embarrassed at how long this took to post. Yikes. I will unashamedly blame the state of this world we live in. I hope this longer chapter makes up for how long it took though! This one is quite a doozy.

Despite the warmth provided by his coat, a shiver ran down Gilbert’s spine as he made his way through the snow that covered the well-worn path to Green Gables. Of course, the shiver was partly due to the frigid, late December weather on PEI. However, whether or not Gilbert would ever admit it, it was mostly due to the fact that this was the first time he would be seeing Anne since they parted ways for school in September. 

Despite the physical distance between them, Gilbert and Anne had grown much closer due to their letters that they would write to each other every chance they got. Pages and pages of text passed between them had added to their love story. The price of the long journey and the nature of his medical studies had kept Gilbert from traveling home before the break that they had for the Christmas holidays. Here he was though on his way to Green Gables to see the only human who could ever hold the key to his heart.  _ Finally. _

They had made the plans through their last letters for an afternoon ice skating the day after they both returned home. The next weekend their families would celebrate the holiday together, but first they needed some time that was decidedly theirs and theirs only. What Anne didn’t know, however, was that Gilbert had added a stop to their agenda after ice skating, and it was his knowledge of the life-changing nature of that stop that was making his heart nearly pound out of his chest as he neared the treeline by Green Gables.

As soon as Gilbert had closed the gate behind him and started up the path to the house, he looked up to see a flash of red attached to an adorable bundled up body that was barrelling towards him. At the sight of her, he took off running to meet her halfway, throwing his arms around her waist and spinning her around in the circle of his arms. Her laughter was a sweet melody to his ears and her scent so familiar and overwhelming to his senses. 

Setting her back on the ground, he shifted back from her just enough to see her face beaming up at him.

“Gil…”

“Anne…”

“I missed you,” they breathed in unison.

As Gilbert brought his hand up to the nape of Anne’s neck, she allowed her eyes to fall shut, heartbeat quickening in anticipation and mind calming at the same time. She could sense his lips drawing near to hers, and allowed hers to part, eager for his kiss that she had missed so much in the past months.

“Eww, gross!”

“Jerry!” Anne yelled as she whipped around to face him, the reverence of the moment dissipating quickly. 

“What? You guys are standing right in the middle of the path to the barn, you know.”

Anne’s face flushed in embarrassment, realizing he was entirely right, and Gilbert laughed quietly behind her, his cheeks a bit rosier than normal as well.

“I’ll make sure I remember this next time I help cover for Diana’s mysterious weekly absences from the boarding house that JUST SO HAPPEN to coincide with the day you always run errands in Charlottetown….”

It was Jerry’s turn to flush beet red.

“How do you….? Ugh, nevermind. You lovebirds go and enjoy yourselves.”

“Oh, we will,” Gilbert chuckled as he grabbed Anne’s hand and planted a chaste kiss on her cheek. After gathering Anne’s skates and the basket of snacks she had prepared, the pair made their way to the pond. 

* * *

Gilbert had the perfect afternoon planned out for him and Anne. They would catch up on the walk, filling each other in on the weeks since their last letters. Gilbert would offer her his arm like a proper courting couple, but then sometime along the walk he would find reason to move his arm around her waist, holding her close to his side as they sauntered on. Maybe he would use the excuse of supporting her over the uneven ground, or protecting her from the chilly air, or maybe just do it because he wanted to. 

Gilbert would help her into her skates when they reached the frozen pond where he used to play hockey in their school days. While he knew she was very capable of doing this herself, her “blasted long skirts,” as she called them, gave him a welcome excuse to wait on her this way. Slowly slipping her foot out of her boot, he might feel cheeky enough to drop a quick kiss to her ankle before sliding her skate on. Or maybe not. 

They would skate for a while, possibly partaking in a race or two across the ice if they were feeling particularly competitive. For the most part though, they would skate the perimeter hand in hand, chatting about this or that as the sun sank lower in the sky. When they were hungry they would take a break on a log near the pond, enjoying whatever delectable treat Anne had baked them that morning. 

Oh, there would be lots of kisses too. It really had been  _ months _ , and Gilbert knew he could only keep from kissing Anne for so long. They had to make up for some lost time. 

The best part would come after spending time at the pond though. Gilbert would take Anne up to the cliff where they first confessed their feelings to each other and ask her to be his lifemate once and for all. She wouldn’t expect the question to come now, but he was confident she would say yes. 

In her first months at school, Anne had spoken with her advisor and realized it wouldn’t be too far-fetched for her to be able to finish her studies in a year and a half if she was willing to do some independent studies over the summer months. When she had shared this with Gilbert through their letters, the excitement that coursed through his veins was almost palpable. It meant that they could potentially marry the following spring or early summer while Gilbert was home in Avonlea, and in the fall when Gilbert returned to Toronto, Anne could join him there. In writing, they had thoroughly discussed the fact that they did not want to wait the many years that Gilbert would still be in school before marrying. They were young in the eyes of some, but they  _ knew _ that this was it for them. Gilbert knew that Anne had already started to write to some schools in Toronto, and the only thing left was to make the decision final with his mother’s ring on her finger.

He hadn’t planned out what he wanted to say as he proposed marriage, because he knew that, with Anne, the right words always came easily to him. He would slide the ring on her finger, kissing it gently. Maybe they would spend some more time on the cliff, but more likely than not, they would return to Green Gables to warm up from the cold, December air and share the happy news with Matthew and Marilla. They would need to wait to celebrate with Sebastian, Mary, and Delphine the next day as they were away in Charlottetown for the night on some business, but all in all, in Gilbert’s mind, it would be the perfect day.

Of course, that’s not at all how it happened. 

* * *

Anne and Gilbert made it to the pond just fine, but unbeknownst to them, under the thin coating of snow, the ice was rather thin in spots from the sun that bathed it in warmth the past few days. They put on their skates and made their way to the ice. (For any curious minds, yes, Gilbert did indeed kiss her ankle before helping her into her skate. He, in fact, kissed both.)

“Race you to that tree over there!” Anne shouted as she pushed away from him, gaining a head start.

Gilbert laughed to himself before chasing after her. It was just as he had pictured their afternoon going. Only moments, later a loud  _ crack _ echoed across the tree-lined pond, followed by two more. Gilbert was barely able to take a breath to call out to Anne, to beg her to stop and come back to him, before she slid right onto the weakening patch of ice and plunged through its surface. Her subsequent scream pierced the air, shooting right through Gilbert’s heart.

“Anne!”

Though his heart seemed to be pounding in his ears as panic threatened to take over his body, Gilbert knew that he needed to remain calm, as calm as he could at least, if he had any hope of helping her. 

“Anne! Try to stay afloat! I’m coming!”

Adrenaline kicked in as Gilbert skated over to the nearest tree, breaking off the longest and strongest branch that he could manage. He knew he would not be able to get near her, but if he could scoot close enough on his stomach, he thought he might be able to slide the branch out to her for her to grab. He really had no other choice.

As he skated back towards Anne and carefully got on his stomach to inch himself towards her, he was exceptionally grateful that Anne was one of the strongest people he knew. What she lacked in physical strength, she made up for with mental endurance and her aptitude for never giving up in whatever challenge she faced. While her eyes showed some panic, she kept her body calm as she clung as best as she could to the somewhat solid ice. It was clearly difficult for her to kick her legs under the water due to the frigid temperature and those  _ blasted long skirts _ , yet she was doing her best to keep as much of her body as she could above the water line. 

“I’m almost there, Anne. Hold on,” Gilbert panted as he scooted once more towards her. He slowly reached the branch out and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw it was just long enough for her to grab onto. Using all of his strength, he carefully pulled her out of the water, her drenched skirts seeming to nearly double her weight. Seeing she was clearly at the end of her energy, he used the branch to slowly draw her towards him, moving cautiously so as not to break any more ice. 

_ Five feet, four feet, three feet, two feet… _

“I’ve got you, Anne,” Gilbert breathed with relief, gathering her shivering, weak figure into his tired arms. Anne was too exhausted to speak, but Gilbert could read her deep gratitude for him from the look in her eyes as she gazed up at him. 

“Now we need to get you somewhere warm and dry.” 

* * *

As Gilbert opened the door to his quiet and empty home, Anne snuggled closely in his arms, his mind snapped back into focus after having zoned out for the past twenty minutes or so. The last thing he remembered clearly was taking off his coat to wrap it around Anne, scooping her up as they made their way off of the pond, and running as fast as he could back to the nearest house, which happened to be his. The rest of the journey was just a blur of white snow, dripping wet clothing, and Anne’s pale face resting against his chest. He had to warm her up.

Moving into the kitchen of his home, Gilbert wished dearly that Sebastian and Mary. He could have used their assistance, and at least the house would have already been warmed when they got there. Being as that was unfortunately not the case, Gilbert set his mind on getting to work. 

_ First she needs to get out of her wet clothes. _

Gilbert groaned internally as he realized what that meant. As much as he was excited for the future prospect of seeing Anne in her purest form, unclothed before him, as his  _ wife _ , he absolutely did not want to need to undress her under these circumstances. He glanced around the room, hoping that maybe Mary would appear, but alas, it was futile. He would need to help her himself. 

Eyes still closed, Anne spoke as almost as if she could read his mind. It was nearly inaudible in her weakened state, but Gilbert heard it nonetheless.

“Gil… I trust you…” 

A shiver wracked Anne’s whole body.

“Please help me get warm.”

Placing Anne on the floor by the fireplace, Gilbert grabbed all the blankets he could find, and, following Anne’s permission, he began to release her from her sopping wet clothing. Focusing on the goal of his task helped him mentally separate from what his fingers and hands were physically doing. With each piece of clothing removed from Anne, Gilbert did the best he could to protect her modesty with haphazardly placed blankets, and when all that was left was her undergarments, he averted his eyes to a spot on the wall above her to protect his sanity as he helped her slip out of those as well. 

It wasn’t until after he thoroughly bundled her in the blankets and made quick work of lighting a fire next to them that he finally allowed himself to look at her again. Her eyes were tired but open and gazing up towards his, and he was thankful to see her cheeks gaining back a bit of the color they had lost. He drew up onto his lap and held her tightly in his arms, still gazing down at her face.

“Thank you, Gil,” she whispered as if telling him a secret. “You undoubtedly saved my life.”

Gilbert let out a breath that he didn’t realize he was holding in. Unsure of exactly what he was feeling in the moment, his eyes began to tear up and he let out a laugh of relief at the same time. 

“Absolutely anything for you, Anne-girl. I hope you know that.”

Gilbert bent down to place a reverent kiss on her lips, and turning their eyes toward the fire, the pair sat in silence, Anne still wrapped tightly in his arms. He had no plans to let go anytime soon.

* * *

Some time later, after realizing Anne had dozed off, Gilbert laid her on the sofa and went about heating some water for some hot tea and a warm bath for Anne when she woke up. He couldn’t help but smile at the domesticity of it all. When everything was ready, he went to wake her. 

As her eyelids fluttered open and she saw his face down near hers, she couldn’t help but grin. She loved seeing his face first when she woke up, and her mind quickly trailed to the future. 

“Anne-girl, I drew you a warm bath and made you some tea for when you’re ready to get up.”

Flushing a bit at the embarrassment of being served so selflessly by Gilbert, she replied, “Gil, don’t you think saving me was enough for one day? You’re making me feel like a queen.”

“Well that’s just fitting then, isn’t it?” he said with a smirk. When she looked up at him with confusion written across her features, he continued, “You are and will always be my queen, Anne.” 

“Well then I am lucky to have such a gallant king.”

The blush spreading across her cheeks and down her neck, coupled with the thought of being her king, made Gilbert slightly weak at the knees. There was no time for swooning for him today, however, so he solidified his stance before her.

“Are you feeling strong enough to walk?”

“I think I can manage now,” she replied, taking mental inventory of her limbs. “Will you stay nearby though?”

“Of course,” Gilbert replied, offering his arm to help her stand up. 

They made their way carefully to the dressing screen, and after Anne had slid behind it and Gilbert heard her enter the tub, all he had left to do was wait.

Knowing that the love of his life was completely bare, in his house, just on the other side of a meager screen was a thought that Gilbert didn’t really know how to handle. If he was a cad, how easy it would be to swoop around the side of the screen to see the whole of her. Gilbert shook the thought from his head. That wasn’t him. As honorable as he was though, his thoughts did naturally wander places that he wasn’t ready to deal with. He needed a distraction.

As he fumbled about the house, cleaning up some of the mess they had left from the earlier rescue mission, Gilbert’s mind was drawn to the fact that his whole plan to ask Anne to marry him was dashed. He reached into his pocket and thumbed the ring, still safely tucked inside. Though disappointed, he knew there would be other chances to ask her. He just had to rethink his plan a bit. As he pulled the ring out of his pocket and let it rest in his palm under his careful watch, he heard the water sloshing around in the tub in the adjoining room.

Closing his fingers around the ring, he made his way back to the kitchen to check that Anne was alright. As he entered the room, Anne spoke to him from behind the screen.

“Gil, I want to see your face. I’ve gone far too long without seeing you.”

Gilbert chuckled fondly as he replied, “Anne-girl, you just saw me a few minutes ago. You can't really be missing me that much yet.” 

Gilbert sensed a shift in the air with Anne’s delayed response. Her voice, much quieter now, spoke from behind the screen again.

“But I almost lost my chance today of ever seeing you again.”

Sighing heavily at the truth in her words, Gilbert responded with a simple, “I know.”

“I covered most of myself with the bath sheet you left for me if you want to come behind the screen with me,” she paused momentarily, considering her next words. “Considering you helped me undress earlier, I would say I am comparably exceptionally modest,” she said with a giggle.

“Are you sure, Anne? I don’t want to make you uncomfortable in any way.”

“I’m sure, Gil.”

Taking a deep breath, Gilbert stepped behind the screen and was met with an image he should have expected, but somehow wasn’t at all prepared for. 

Most of Anne was submerged in the tub, and she had laid a sheet over the top of the tub so that only her head, shoulders, and the very top of her chest were just visible to him. Her fiery, red hair flowed loosely over the edge of the tub behind her and the reflection of the candles that Gilbert had set out for her made her eyes gleam. With parts of her exposed in a way that Gilbert had never seen, his eyes were quickly drawn to the defined shape of her collarbone and shoulders, and he did all he could to keep his eyes from sinking slightly lower to where the very tops of her breasts peeked out from under the sheet. 

After seeing her pale and limp just hours earlier, her flushed and healthy skin stood out in stark contrast. There was so much life in her, and so much more life left to be lived. 

“You’re beautiful, Anne.” Gilbert fell to his knees along the side of the wash tub, taking her hand in his as he continued. “All of you is beautiful: your heart, your mind, your strength that you showed today. And I’m just so glad you’re okay.” 

Anne squeezed his hand, smiling up at the man who held her heart.

“We had quite a momentous day, didn’t we Gil?” she asked, squeezing his hand.

Gilbert’s other hand tightened involuntarily around the ring that he still held in his palm.

_ Now. _

Gilbert took a deep, shaky breath as he realized the decision that his heart made a few moments before his brain could catch up.

_ Ask her now. _

“Anne, please know that I had much grander plans for this.”

Anne looked at him in confusion, but her confusion soon turned to absolute clarity and joy as he uncurled his fingers to reveal his mother’s ring. 

“Marry me, Anne.” 

“Yes.” 

* * *

When Gilbert finally brought Anne home that evening, Matthew and Marilla were absolutely thrilled to hear their news. Of course they had a lot of explaining to do too since Anne had entered Green Gables in a pair of Gilbert’s old clothes and her still wet clothes hanging wildly from an old carpet bag. As the story was (mostly) told, the older pair kept any lingering questions about the propriety of the situation safely tucked in their minds as they trusted Anne with Gilbert and Gilbert with Anne wholly.

Gilbert and Anne had decided on the journey back to Green Gables that the exact nature of the proposal would be their little secret, at least for now. Especially since, after all of the teasing Gilbert gave Sebastian about proposing to Mary in a wash tub, he would never let him live this down.


End file.
